Good News Israel! Israel’s 1st Female Ambucycle Driver, Hebrew U Prof Leads US Program for Early Cancer Detection, and More

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Sophie Donio from Eilat is Israel’s first female EMS ambucycle driver; Hebrew U professor leads California program for early cancer detection; Israeli research could lead to new fertility treatments, and much more.

By: Michael Ordman

ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Israel’s first female ambucycle driver

Sophie Donio from Eilat is Israel’s first female EMS ambucycle driver. She is a single working mother, a therapist and a diving instructor who gives up her free time to volunteer with United Hatzalah as an EMT first responder and rush out to save the lives of people she has never met.

Developing a blood test for cancer

The Californian healthcare company GRAIL Inc is sponsoring a research program to detect cancer early, led by Hebrew University Professor Yuval Dor. The program will analyze fragmented DNA in the bloodstream that derives from tumors, to identify the type of cancer responsible.

Cells learn to overcome difficult pregnancies

Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Hadassah Medical Center have discovered that the human body’s “natural killer” cells improve their ability to fight diseases affecting the fetus following the first pregnancy. It could lead to new fertility treatments.

Targeting cancer cells in children

Scientists at Israel’s Technion have developed a system for the selective nanoscale transport of the chemotherapeutic Dasatinib in young patients. Polymer micelles enhanced with sugar carry the chemical to cancer cells alone, thus maximizing its efficiency without harming healthy tissues.

$8.4 million for startups to test health software

Israel has launched an $8.4 million p.a. program that enables startups to try out their technologies with the medical data of the four health services. It is part of the National Digital Health plan (see here) which aims to make Israel a global leader in digital health technologies.

A biotech hub at Hadassah

Israel’s LR Group is launching Biohouse – a $14 million network of biotech hubs, initially in Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center and then at two other Israeli hospitals, plus Boston and New York. The Hadassah hub can host 40-50 medical devices and digital health startups and is already 40% full.